Z4M trailer hitch?

[jmillet]

Cross post.
Anyone here installed a trailer hitch on their Z4M Coupe or Roadster? If so please share details with me.
I'm looking to tow a Harbor Freight trailer outfitted with a tire rack and tool box.

[Hawkeye]

I don't believe there is anything like that. The closest I have seen is the custom bike rack / hitch.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...ight=moonridur

[333m]

why are you fitting a hitch on your Z? that's gonna destroy your Z's rear end look...

[jmillet]

Originally Posted by 333m

why are you fitting a hitch on your Z? that's gonna destroy your Z's rear end look...

If the hitch is properly installed you can't see it unless you have the receiver attached.
Unlike the Z3MC that accommodates a roof rack the Z4MC demands a trailer if you expect to carry four track tires and a tool box.

[155MPH]

Buy a pick up truck with a tow hitch and get a trailer to put the Z4MC on. Putting a trailer on the Z is, in my opinion, just ridiculous.

[wrh3]

I know what you are talking about Jim and have seen it on a LOT of track cars. Just about every track car I have seen it on was custom though so you may have to ask around at the track or on forums where a lot of users frequent the track. And very few of the ones I saw would be noticed unless you were looking for it

At Barber I met a friend of a friend with a dedicated track car, an E36 3 series with an M3 motor transplant. No rear seats, rollbar, race seats in front and 4-door. He was able to fit his track set of wheels/tires in the back seat area and had tools and a track set of brakes in the trunk that he left in the paddock. Kind of neat to see this guy drive in and change his brakes and wheels/tires, run all day, and then swap everything back out and head home. This is my dream, a dedicated track car- maybe when the kids are out of school......

[jmillet]

Originally Posted by 155MPH

Buy a pick up truck with a tow hitch and get a trailer to put the Z4MC on. Putting a trailer on the Z is, in my opinion, just ridiculous.

I'm looking for useful information not uninformed opinions.
Since we're offering opinions I think anyone who lives in New Jersey and drives a roadster is ridiculous.
Now we're even; go back to waxing your Bimmer.

[Roland]

Originally Posted by jmillet

I'm looking for useful information not uninformed opinions.
Since we're offering opinions I think anyone who lives in New Jersey and drives a roadster is ridiculous.
Now we're even; go back to waxing your Bimmer.

[GeorgeT]

Back in the '70s, when SCCA first started running the Showroom Stock class, you would see a lot of trailer hitches on the cars. SCCA would not allow performance enchancing modifications but trailer hitches were allowed. Turns out that, it properly installed, a trailer hitch made a damn good roll bar (or is that anti-roll bar?). However, no one ever actually towed anything.

[Dammmittt]

Have you thought about buying a regular tow hitch and having someone weld it to the frame?

[jmillet]

Originally Posted by Dammmittt

Have you thought about buying a regular tow hitch and having someone weld it to the frame?

There is no frame to weld anything onto. If you remove the rear bumper cover you'll find a bumper carrier and a couple of shock absorbers
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...55&hg=51&fg=15
Behind the carrier is a trunk floor cross member to which the trailer hitch would be bolted not welded.
Ron Stygar over on Bimmerfest located an E86 rack that might just hold two track tires and the other two will fit in the rear compartment.
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=167236

[Dammmittt]

Hmmm...

Well...if you can attach a tow hook to the thing you should be able to attach a hitch to it.


Here's the skeleton, which isn't much help.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...95&hg=41&fg=05

And here is the rear body assemblage.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...58&hg=41&fg=25

If you can get to to part 2 it should be sturdy enough to attach a hitch.

[155MPH]

Originally Posted by jmillet

I'm looking for useful information not uninformed opinions.
Since we're offering opinions I think anyone who lives in New Jersey and drives a roadster is ridiculous.
Now we're even; go back to waxing your Bimmer.

Well, you are entitled to your opinion too. That is what forums are for. But it also shows your ignorance about the weather in NJ. But, no sense in trying to explain it to you. I'm sure you wouldn't understand.

[Rick Hunter]

Originally Posted by jmillet

...I think anyone who lives in New Jersey and drives a roadster is ridiculous.

You just found that out?

Anyway, here's another thread to help you in your search:
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1171

Although it's not my cup of tea, I'm interested in the results. Good Luck mate.

[cokeith]

I had a custom hitch made - refer to www.bimmerfest.com and search on Z4 and my user name cokeith for all the details. I use the hitch for a small trailer and a bike rack. The hitch receiver is NOT visible on the car. For the trailer wiring, I made a "black box" powered directly from the battery with switches I must manually toggle for brake and turn lights (I didn't connect directly into the car's wiring because I didn't want to cause any fault codes since there are no trailer wiring applications for the z4). PS - The hitch bolts on. Don't let anyone weld a hitch directly to the car as the welds would not withstand the stesses.

K